


Don't Go Where I Can't Follow

by ThisIsAPenName



Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, References to Suicide, Science Boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-24
Updated: 2012-10-24
Packaged: 2017-11-16 23:11:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/544865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisIsAPenName/pseuds/ThisIsAPenName
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony can't get the words out of his head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Go Where I Can't Follow

**Author's Note:**

> Written for this prompt http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/6021.html?thread=10111109#t10111109 over at the Avengers Kinkmeme.

_"You can't! I know, I've tried!"_

Those words. Those words coming from Bruce, stuck with Tony. Nothing he did could shake them, but he didn't bring it up until the demi-gods were off Earth and Bruce had agreed to stay at Stark Tower for a while. Even then, it took him longer than he's proud to admit to pluck up the courage to seek Bruce out.

_"I know, I've tried!"_

The idea that Bruce was that sad, that low that he couldn't think of another way out - he wanted to do nothing more than reject the idea. Bruce was...Bruce. He got angry, not sad.

It was well into the night when Tony found himself quietly walking into Bruce's room and slipping under the covers, pressing up behind him.

"Tony, wha-?" He was half asleep and Tony almost felt bad for waking him. "You tried," he said quietly. There was a moment of silence. "You knew they couldn't kill you, because you'd tried. You weren't doing okay, you were feeling that bad and the only way out wasn't a nice one, but you were going to take it and that's not alright, because you're Bruce, you're into science and -" "Tony." He's glad he was cut off, his voice was breaking.

"Tony," Bruce said again. "That was a long time ago. Before I had better control of...The Other Guy." He could feel Tony's shaking breaths on his neck.

"But, you still felt like that," Tony said, after a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. "It's not a nice thing to feel, but you felt it. It doesn't just go away. Did you even have anyone to turn to, to help you out? Or did you just suffer, completely on your own?"

"Tony, it's okay. I turned out okay. He stopped me from doing it, more than enough times for me to accept the fact that it wasn't going to happen. If I tried to put a bullet in my brain, he'd spit it out. If I jumped, he'd land. If I tried to sink, he'd swim up. Eventually I stopped trying and now look at me! Look at where I am. It's okay, Tony, I'm safe now." He didn't notice the wet patches on his neck until he stopped his speech and didn't realize how tightly Tony was holding on to him until he tried to turn.

_"I've tried."_

It took them both a minute to process that Tony had said that out loud. Bruce sighed. "Ton-" "When I got back from that damn cave, I took out the Arc Reactor. I would've died, gladly, if JARVIS hadn't announced that Pepper was here. I couldn't have her finding me in that state, could I?" He let out a shaky laugh. "The point I'm trying to make, Bruce, is that feeling, it doesn't just go away." He paused for a second, only to lightly press his lips into Bruce's shoulder. "It doesn't just go away, it takes time to heal and even then, there's no guarantee that it won't come back."

Bruce turned around, successfully this time, and wiped Tony's eyes. "Tony," he said quietly. "We've both made it. We're going to be okay."

Tony just clung tighter.


End file.
